the process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census

malapportionment

The creation of congressional districts in a state which are of unequal size. The Supreme Court in 1964 eliminated the practice by requiring that all districts in a state contain about the same number of people.

minority leaders

spokesperson for opposition; selected by minority party

caucus

an association of Congress members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest

patronage

(politics) granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support

cloture

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate, can stop a filibuster with 60 votes.

Earmark

Funds in appropriations bill that provide dollars for particular purposes within a state or congressional district.

descriptive representation

reps mirror constituents (not the case)

committee

a special group delegated to consider some matter

majority leader

The legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House of Representatives or the Senate.

impeachment

the power of the House of Representatives from the Constitution to charge the president or any other civil officers with high crimes or misdemeanors, first step to constitutionally remove government officials

whips

key member who keeps close contact with all members of his or her party and takes nose counts on key votes, prepares summaries of bills, and in gernal acts as communication link within a party

filibuster

A tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by making long speeches

minority party

party with fewer members in Congress

Roll call vote

A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering yea or nay to their names

Tom Delay

Texas rep; redistricted 2nd time in Texas 2002 and republicans then won 23/32 districts in 2004

majority minority district

A congressional district created to include a majority of minority voters; ruled constitutional so long as race is not the main factor in redistricting.

Minority leader

the legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition

restrictive rule

Consent from the Rules Committee of the House of Representatives which permits certain amendments to a piece of legislation but not others.

Bicameral

A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts. The U.S. Congress is this type of legislature, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

discharge petition

Petition that, if signed by majority of the House of Representatives' members, will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration.

pork barrel

laws that direct funds to local projects in an area which a member of Congress represents

Joint Committee

Committees on which both senators and representatives serve.

rider

an amendment on a matter unrelated to a bill that is added to the bill so that it will go along with the bill in its passage through the Congress

Rules Committee

In the House of Representatives, the committee that decides which bills come up for a vote, in what order, and under what restrictions on length of debate and on the right to offer amendments. The Senate Rules and Administration Committee, by contrast, possesses few powers.

The annual process in which the Office of Management and Budget, after receiving formal federal agency requests for funding for the next fiscal year, reviews the requests, makes changes, and submits its recommendations to the president.

General Accounting Office

Created in 1921 to perform routine audits of the money spent by executive departments. It also investigates agencies and makes recommendations on every aspect of government.

bicameral legislature

a legislature made up of two parts, called chambers; the US Congress, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, is an example

War Powers Act (1973)

limited President's power to use troops overseas in hostilities, put a time limit on use and gave Congress final power to withdraw troops

substantive representation

A term coined by Hannah Pitkin to refer to the correspondence between representatives' opinions and those of their constituents.

written report

summary that comes with a bill to the floor

incumbency factor

the fact that being in office helps a person stay in office because of a variety of benefits that go with the position

Specific locations from which news frequently emanates such as Congress or the White House

Linkage Intstitutions

elections, political parties, interest groups, media

executive orders

clarifications of congressional policy issued by the president and having the full force of law

lobbying

Activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they enact.

Nineteenth Amendment (1920)

Granted voting rights to women.

federalism

division of power among levels of government

implied powers

powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions

Senatorial Courtesy

Presidential custom of submitting the names of prospective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees are to work.

categorical grants

federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport; usually requires a bit of fund "matching"

Open rule

House Rules Committee procedure that allows amendments to a bill.

shield law

Law guaranteeing news reporters the right to protect the annonymity of their sources. States have passed this--not the federal government.

presidential succession

eventually defined in the 25th amendment; list of people includes VP, Speaker of the House, President Pro Temp, Secretary of State, etc.

Gender Gap

Difference in political views between men and women

Black Predicament

whites threatened by AA integration and political action
threat in AA majority areas

budget resolution

Set of budget guidelines that must pass both houses of Congress in identical form by April 15. The budget resolution guides government spending for the following fiscal year.

national convention

a meeting of party delegate selected in state primaries, caucuses, or conventions that's held every four years; primary purpose is to nominate Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and to ratify a campaign platform

veto

a formal decision to reject a bill passed by Congress

incentive system

According to Charles Schultze, a more effective and efficient policy than command and control; in this, market-like strategies are used to manage public policy.

direct primary

a primary where voters directly select the candidates who will run for office

Electorate College

representatives of ech state who cast the final ballots that actually elect a president

grassroots

of or involving the common people as constituting a fundamental politico-economic group

judicial implementation

how and whether court decisions are translated into actual policy, thereby affecting the behavior of others; the courts rely on other units of government to enforce their decisions

realigning election

An election during periods of expanded suffrage and change in the economy and society that proves to be a turning point, redefining the agenda of politics and the alignment of voters within parties.

private bill

A legislative bill that deals only with specific, private, personal, or local matters rather than with general legislative affairs. The main kinds include immigration and naturalization bills and personal claim.

public bill

A legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern.

Fiscal Federalism

The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system.

Twenty-fourth Amendment (1964)

Outlawed poll taxes, which had been used to prevent the poor from voting.

total incorporation

view that the states must obey all provisions of the bill of rights because of the due process clause of the 14th amendment

talking head

a shot of a person's face talking directly to the camera; rarely done for politicians

purposive incentive

a benefit that comes from serving a cause or principle

The People

They decide on govt. policies BUT NOT civil liberties

Senate Qualifications

30 years old, citizen for 9 years, must live in the state you represent

Civil Rights

The rights of people to be treated without unreasonable or unconstitutional differences.

Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka

reversed seperate but equal

full faith and credit clause

ensures judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be binding and enforceable in any other state(article 4)

Court of Appeals

Court that hears the appeals for the trial-court decisions.

civic duty

a belief that one has an obligation to participate in civic and political affairs

direct tax

a tax that must be paid by the person on whom it is levied

office of personal management

the office in charge of hiring for most agencies of the federal government, using elaborate rules in the process.

Office of Management and Budget

An office that grew out of the Bureau of the Budget, created in 1921, consisting of a handful of political appointees and hundreds of skilled professionals. It performs both managerial and budgetary functions.

Conference Committee

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Direct Orders

GET FROM BOOK

demagogues

charismatic leaders who manipulate popular belifs

Deregulation

elimination of federal regulations on private companies

foreign policy

a policy governing international relations

Federalists

Supporters of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government

Commercial Speech

Advertisements and commercials for products and services; they receive less 1st Amendment protection, primarily to discourage false and misleading ads.

liberal

One considered to favor extensive governmental involvement in the economy and the provision of social services amd to take an activist role in protecting the rights of women, the elderly, minorities, and the environment.

Policymaking Institutions

The branches of government charged with taking action on political issues. The US Constitution established three of these: the Congress, the presidency, and the courts. Today, the power of the bureaucracy is so great that most political scientists consider it a fourth.

quorum

minimum number of members needed for the House or Senate to meet

progressive

a belief that personal freedom and solving social social problems are more important than religion

New Deal Coalition

Alliance of southern conservatives, religious, and ethnic minorities who supported the Democratic Party for 40 years

how long does all justices serve?

life time

split ticket

Voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election.

veto message

The president's formal explanation of a veto when legislation is returned to Congress.

Watergate

a political scandal involving abuse of power and bribery and obstruction of justice

National Committee

Delegates who run party affairs between national conventions.

Referendum

procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature

Republic

supreme power is vested in the people whose power is exercised by representatives chosen by the people

gatekeeper, scorekeeper, watchdog

3 cheesy roles of the media

Sixteenth Amendment

Allowed Congress to levy an income tax

sound bites

short video clips of approximately 15 seconds, typically all that is shown from a politician's speech or activities on the nightly television news

Lemon test

Lemon v. Kurtzman to measure the constitutionality of state laws in regard to establishment clause (3 pronged test)

Constitutional Convention

1787 meeting at which the Articles were scrapped for the Constitution

Stare Decisis

"Let the decision stand" - doctrine whereby a previous decision by a court applies as a precedent in similar cases until that decision is overruled.

free excercise clause

1st amendment guarantee that prohibits gov't from unduly interfering with the free excercise of religion

presidential veto

a president's authority to reject a bill passed by Congress may be overridden only by a two-thirds majority in each house

exclusionary rule

a rule that provides that otherwise admissible evidence cannot be used in a criminal trial if it was the result of illegal police conduct

Random Sample

Method of selecting from a population in which each person has an equal probability of being selected.

Capitalism

An economic system in which things are privately owned.

Bill of Rights

First ten amendments to the US Constitution. The Bill of Rights guarantees personal liberties and limits the powers of the government.

executive privilege

the privilege of a president and his staff to withhold their "privileged" conversations from congress or the courts

conditions of aid

Federal rules that states must follow if they choose to receive the federal grants with which the rules are associated

sample survey

the main way to gauge, monitor, or test what people think concerning political issues

class action suits

Lawsuits permitting a small number of people to sue on behalf of all other people similarly situated.

intergovernmental lobby

The pressure group of groups that are created when states and local government hire lobbyists to lobby the national government.

separation of powers

The system that prevents any branch of government from becoming too powerful by dividing important tasks among the three branches. Also called the system of checks and balances.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce

critical or realignment period

Periods when a major, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties.

concurring opinion

a signed opinion in which one or more members agree with the majority view but for different reasons

Step 1: Bill Introduced

With exception of revenue or tax bill, bills can originate in either house. Bills are assigned a number and assigned to the appropriate committee.

Equal Protection of the law

A standard of equal treatment that must be observed by the government.

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

A law passed in 1990 that requires employers and public facilities to make "reasonable accommodations" for people with disabilities and prohibits discrimination against these individuals in employment.

Defacto Segregation

segregation by nature

tendency toward the left

liberal

earmarks

Spending placed by committee members.

those who supported the constitution

federalist

Medicare

health care for the elderly

Brookings Institute

Liberal think-tank ideological interest group.

divided government

Governance divided between the parties, as when one holds the presidency and the other controls one or both houses of Congress

realism

A theory of international relations that focuses on the tendency of nations to operate from self-interest

constituents

The residents of a congressional district or state

democratic consensus

Widespread agreement on fundamental principles of democratic governance and the values that undergird them

Amicus Curiae

"friend of the court" brief

national supremacy

a constitutional doctrine that whenever conflict occurs between the constitutionally authorized actions of the national government and those of a state or local government, the actions of the federal government prevail

line-item veto

Deemed unconstitutional, process of eliminating individual parts of a bill.

A relatively small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey so as to be representative of the whole

initiative

Procedure whereby a certain number of voters may, by petition, propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters

political party

An organization that seeks political power by electing people to office so that its positions and philosophy become public policy

hard power

reliance on economic and military strength to solve international problems

delegated powers

Powers given explicitly to the national government and listed in the Constitution

revolving door

Employment cycle in which individuals who work for government agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concern

mass media

Means of communication that are reaching the public, including newspapers and magazines, radio, television (broadcast, cable, and satellite), films, recordings, books, and electronic communication

central clearance

review of all executive branch testimony, reports, and draft legislation by the Office of Management and Budget to ensure that each communication to Congress is in accordance with the president's program

exit polling

Polls taken outside the polling station.

enumerated powers

The powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution.

privilege of immunity for the president from the judicial process

exec privilege

establishes term limits for a president

22nd amendment

state returns a criminal offender to the state where the crime was committed

extradition

Federalist paper

85 essays madison hamilton and jay

revenue sharing

A grant-in-aid program that allowed states maximum discretion in the spending of federal funds. States were not required to supply matching funds and they received money according to a statistical formula. The program was terminated in 1986.

Executive Agreement

agreement made between the president and a leader of a foreign country that does not have to be ratified by the Senate

527 groups

A political group organized under section 527 of the IRS Code that may accept and spend unlimited amounts of money on election activities so long as they are not spent on broadcast ads run in the last 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a general election where a clearly identified candidate is referred to and a relevant electorate is targeted. 527 groups were important to the 2000 and 2004 elections.

deficit

An excess of federal expenditures over federal revenues

regressive tax

A tax whereby people with lower incomes pay a higher fraction of their income than people with higher incomes

trade deficit

An imbalance in international trade in which the value of imports exceeds the value of exports

de facto segregation

segregation resulting from economic or social conditions or personal choices

concurrent powers

Powers that the Constitution gives to both the national and state governments, such as the power to levy taxes

ethnocentrism

belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group

electoral college

The electoral system used in electing the president and vice president, in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for a particular party's candidates

candidate appeal

How voters feel about a candidate's background, personality, leadership ability, and other personal qualities

plurality

Candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election, not necessarily more than half

Civil Rights Act (1964)

banned discrmination in public places

voter registration

System designed to reduce voter fraud by limiting voting to those who have established eligibility by submitting the proper form.

cooperative federalism

stresses federalism as a system of intergovernmental relationship in delivering government goods and services to the people and calls for cooperation among various levels of government

pocket veto

A veto exercised by the president after Congress has adjourned; if the president takes no action for ten days, the bill does not become law and is not returned to Congress for a possible override.

A categorical grant that has specific legislative guidelines

formula grant

a president sends a bill back to congress with reasons

veto

any male has the right to vote

15th amendment

this body administers the campaign finance laws

federal election commission

in depth reporting to unearth scandals schemes, etc...

investigative journalism

Riders

amendments to bills, often in the form of appropriations, that sometimes have nothing to do with the bill itself. often considered to be pork barrel legislation

Pork barrel legislation

the practice of legislators obtaining funds through legislation that favors their home districts

Political Idealogy

A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose. It helps give meaning to political events, personalities, and policies

Gibbons v. Ogden

Congress had power to regulate interstate commerce

Articles of Confederation

the first governing document of the confederated states, drafted in 1777, ratified in 1781, and replaced by the present Constitution in 1789

search warrent

a writ issued by a magistrate that authorizes the police to search a particular place or person, specifying the place to be searched and the objects to be seized

rule

A precise statement of how a law is implemented

political socialization

The process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs

free rider

An individual who does not join a group representing his or her interests yet receives the benefit of the group's influence

special or select committee

A congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation.

elections are awarded to those who come in first

winner take all

one registers while applying for a drivers' license

motor voter act

confederal system

a political system in which the states are sovereign and determine what authority the central government has.

A company with a labor agreement under which union membership can be a condition of employment.

excise tax

a consumer tax on a specific kind of merchandise, such as tobacco

checks and balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power.

Progressive tax

tax based upon the amount of money an individual earned, such as an income tax. legal from the 16th Amendment

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

An international trade organization with more than 130 members, including the United States and the People's Republic of China, that seeks to encourage free trade by lowering tariffs and other trade restrictions

Plessy v Ferguson (1896)

case that ruled that states had the right to impose "separate but equal" facilities on its citizens as well as create other laws that segregated the races

Federal Election Campaign Acts

in 1971 it set up restrictions on the amount of advertising used by a candidate. It created disclosure of contributions over $100, limited amount of personal contributions from a candidate, set up system of federal matching funds for presidential candidates.